Should I commit cosmetic changes?

Question

There are minor coding style changes that I often want to commit to the source control, but now the change log is full of those changes that do not affect code functionality.

What should I do next time I have to fix minor things like:

• Remove and sort usings (in .NET, imports in python, includes in c++)
• Correct indentation, spacing and line breaks

Answer 1

If you are changing the code file, I don't really see why you wouldn't want to commit and share those changes. If you don't you run the risk that someone else will fix them and then collide with yours.

If they aren't changes that other users want in the codebase, perhaps you should ask yourself why you are spending time writing them.

Answer 2

Do commit them, with the commit comment flagged appropriately to make it easier to ignore when skimming through a list of changes.

Don't commit them in the same operation as a change to functionality. That way, if you do break something, it is easier to narrow down what broke it and is easy to revert just the refactoring if necessary.